A Web of Deception
by Obelisk of Light
Summary: The Great Kung Lao's victory over Shang Tsung is but a small hurdle in the many plans to conquer or destroy Earthrealm. Raiden cannot always stop these plans, but he can use a certain amulet under one condition. (MK: Conquest, MK9) Now rated M for violence.
1. The Illusion of Peace

**A** **Web of Deception**

**Disclaimer: **_Mortal Kombat_ is owned by NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. _Mortal Kombat: Conquest_ is the property of Warner Bros. All recognisable dialogues are from the games and/or the TV show. I'm not making any money from this.

**Chapter One**

**The Illusion of Peace**

The tournament of Mortal Kombat was simply an old legend for most of Earthrealm's inhabitants; one of many bedtime stories to entertain young children. But for the people who knew the truth, it was a day of profound worry and desperate prayers to indifferent deities. For the umpteenth time in Earthrealm's history, its very existence was at stake.

Raiden's powers were compromised at present, for he was in one of Shao Kahn's enclosed arenas in Outworld. The Emperor himself was seated upon a menacing throne, flanked by two Shokan bodyguards on either side. A sizeable contingent of his supporters surrounded the arena, revelling at the sight of fatalities while craving for more. For the moment, Raiden was just another spectator in their eyes, albeit one who stood out due to his attire and allegiance.

This was no ordinary fist fight; this was the final clash in the latest Mortal Kombat tournament. The future of Earthrealm was in the hands of one man: Kung Lao, who faced his most dangerous adversary yet: Shang Tsung. The smirking shape-shifter had been energised by the soul of his previous opponent. Kung Lao had nothing but his years of training. The two fighters sized each other up while waiting for Kahn's signal.

"FIGHT!"

At once, Kung Lao and Shang Tsung began to circle each other, looking for an opening. Kung Lao charged first, landing a couple of hits to Tsung's side.

"First blood goes to Kung Lao!"

Shang Tsung was now on renewed alert. The hits had not affected him much, and he had many tricks up his sleeve. He had put sufficient distance between himself and the Earthrealm warrior. They circled each other again.

Tsung's next move had Raiden clenching his hands into fists at its audacity. _How dare he!_

With a tell-tale green glow, Tsung had morphed into an exact replica of the Thunder God. Kung Lao was momentarily surprised; his eyes drifted briefly to the real Raiden before he composed himself. Dirty tricks were to be expected from most sorcerers.

Kung Lao's momentary lapse of attention was enough time for Shang Tsung to launch a ball of lightning at him. The projectile still knocked the breath out of Kung Lao, sending him to the ground. Thankfully, the shocking effect did not last long, and Kung Lao got back on his feet.

"Oh, so you are made of sterner stuff than I thought," Shang Tsung taunted in Raiden's voice. Kung Lao's fighting stance and stern expression remained unchanged. Shang Tsung assumed the form of Shao Kahn, complete with hammer, and charged at his opponent. Kung Lao speedily dodged the first five strikes, but the sixth struck him and forced him to the ground.

Shang Tsung reverted to his original form and moved in for the kill.

"Pathetic or not, your soul is mine!" he boasted to the conscious but downed Kung Lao.

"FINISH HIM!" Shao Kahn roared.

Raiden had no desire to see Earthrealm's best kombatant die, but as a deity, he could do nothing but watch.

"Kill him! Kill him!" Shang Tsung needed no encouragement in the first place.

"Earthrealm will make a fine addition to Outworld," said Shang Tsung. His glowing palms were outstretched to seize Kung Lao's soul for himself.

Kung Lao would not lose his soul so easily. He fought back, pummelling Shang Tsung with all the righteous fury he could muster, giving no time for the sorcerer to morph again. It was the Outworlders' turn for crushing disappointment. Kung Lao finished his combos with a devastating uppercut which sent Shang Tsung flying through the air. Tsung crashed upon the arena, utterly defeated; his body half-covering the seal of the Elder Gods. He had relied far too much upon his morphing and mind games, and had paid the price. The spectators were now baying for the sorcerer's blood.

"This so-called sorcerer is nothing but a weak, pathetic fool," said the emperor, sealing Shang Tsung's fate. Shao Kahn's next command was quiet with disappointment. "Finish him."

One moment, Kung Lao was eager to obey, his right hand raised to deliver the killing blow. The next moment, he looked around himself. The bloodlust of the Outworlders brought him to his senses.

"No ... Listen to me. When the next tournament comes, remember what you saw here today. The people of Earth are not murderers. I choose …" Kung Lao looked at Shao Kahn. "Mercy."

Shang Tsung would surely avenge his defeat one way or another, but his future schemes did not matter for the moment. Earthrealm was safe until the next tournament; Kung Lao had ensured it.

Kung Lao gave a curt bow and made his way over to Raiden.

"Nice speech," said Raiden. He liked to fool around with Earthrealmers whenever Mortal Kombat wasn't just around the corner.

As Shang Tsung was being dragged away by a pair of Shao Kahn's red-masked guards, he managed one last taunt. "You should have killed me, Kung Lao."

Raiden and Kung Lao were in no mood to care. Shang Tsung had failed when it had mattered the most.

* * *

Overall, Kung Lao was doing fine after winning the tournament, despite losing Jen. However, he did complain about his responsibilities a little too often, and whenever he did, Raiden took pride in being the one to have the last word.

Shang Tsung's meddling was to be expected. In Raiden's opinion, it even had the silver lining of keeping Kung Lao and his friends on their toes. Perhaps one day, Shang Tsung would do something disastrous enough to invite his own death. After all, the current Mortal Kombat champion was not the sorcerer's only enemy.

Raiden was in for a rude shock on the day that Siro and Taja were aged by otherworldly water. _Kung Lao_ of all people agreed for a Mortal Kombat bout, falling all too easily for Shang Tsung's transparent ploy.

Even though Kung Lao won this fight, he had to be taught a stern lesson. Mortal Kombat was no game to be taken lightly, least of all by a champion. There was no mercy in Raiden's gaze as he shot a ball of lightning at Kung Lao. It was by no means lethal, but Kung Lao had to know that his duty was to all of Earthrealm's people, not just to his friends.

* * *

The next great threat to Earthrealm came in the form of the Netherrealm sorcerer Quan Chi and his insidious plan to divide and conquer. Raiden intercepted one of Quan Chi's undead servants, and not a moment too soon. For this time, the mortals needed Raiden's help to survive and throw off the effects of the Netherrealm dust.

When Quan Chi came for Kung Lao's soul, Raiden was confident that his champion would prevail. However, if Raiden had known that Quan Chi served an old nemesis who was far more dangerous than Shao Kahn, he would not have been so sure. Nonetheless, Quan Chi was forced to fight without the aid of his undead posse, and Kung Lao was victorious again.

Quan Chi threatened Earthrealm once more when he formed a short-lived yet unwelcome alliance with Shang Tsung to kill Kung Lao. Kung Lao fell for blatantly obvious falsehoods – again! How many times would the monk put Earthrealm in danger without meaning to?

Much to Raiden's relief, Kung Lao did not display such foolishness again in a long time to come. It certainly helped that he had Siro and Taja by his side to help him with each new and formidable enemy.

* * *

Ironically, it was Raiden himself who was responsible for Earthrealm's near downfall. Shao Kahn and the Kreeyan/Zaterran alliance were at war over Earthrealm; Kahn's forces were losing at present. But Shao Kahn himself would not accept defeat so easily. No matter which side won, the Elder Gods would not intervene unless an actual merger of realms took place. The defence of Earthrealm was thus left to its immortal protector and mortal champion. As the immortal, Raiden should have been vigilant against subterfuge.

When times got tough, Raiden's favourite method of coping was not unlike Siro's: strong wine (which didn't get him drunk fast enough), a beautiful buxom blonde on his lap whose name he didn't care about (she called him _Rayman _and giggled more often than she talked) and a supposed vacation. To his mild annoyance, Kung Lao decided to butt in – though, to be fair, Raiden _was_ in Zhu Zin's most popular tavern.

After sending Kung Lao away with the bad news, which took much longer than he would have liked - Kung Lao had asked the blonde to leave them alone for a while - Raiden found his companion. The night was young, and he intended to make full use of his vacation while he still could.

* * *

He spent all night and the next morning with the blonde. If gods couldn't have fun, then who could? He decided to drop by the Trading Post with his companion, but to his surprise, it was locked. He broke in with some lightning, for the place was deserted. If he was in his wits, he would've been suspicious, but he saw the perfect opportunity to sleep with her some more.

Later in the morning, he was joking around with the girl when a supernatural vision struck him.

_A familiar young man was in chains, surrounded by hooded figures, who Raiden recognised to be Shao Kahn's infamous Shadow Priests. One of the Priests had placed his right hand upon the human's chest. Kung Lao's eyes were closed in pain, pain that even a god could feel ... _

Just as abruptly as it had arrived, the vision stopped. Raiden opened his eyes to find the blonde looking at him concernedly.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

Raiden's reply was brief. "Something's wrong." _This is one day I shouldn't have put aside my duties._

"Well, let me get you some water!"

_I hope I'm not too late. _"Very wrong."

He blinked away in a flash of lightning.

* * *

Raiden materialised on the outskirts of Shakanna, an isolated Earthrealm town whose people were hostile to the Earthrealm gods because "Shaka" (Shao Kahn) was their deity. It seemed like yet another attempt on Kung Lao's life, which Raiden feared to be successful this time.

He felt the presence of a portal nearby; a rather large one at that. To make matters worse, he could no longer sense Kung Lao's presence in Earthrealm. The purple-robed townspeople were gathered in prayer around the town's central altar, anticipating the visit of their "god" at last. But Shao Kahn could not set foot in Earthrealm without conquering it first, or so Raiden believed. Did Kahn have the power to defy the Elder Gods' will so brazenly?

Raiden had no time to dwell further on Kahn's machinations. He appeared upon the altar and shocked Taja and Siro's captors into unconsciousness.

The more fearful denizens of Shakanna had fled the worship area just as Raiden had arrived. A few others were dumbstruck by his arrival. Most of the worshippers' prayers to Shao Kahn grew more fervent, begging for deliverance that would not come.

"Your god has abandoned you!" Raiden said to the crowd, summoning lightning to his fingertips for good measure. This display of power failed to bring the crowd to its senses. Lightning descended upon the now-empty altar. Its destructive power damaged the skull-shaped statue and distorted the portal. The people fled for their lives, effectively leaving Raiden, Taja and Siro alone.

"It's about time you showed up," Taja muttered, as Raiden freed her and Siro. Thankfully, they weren't seriously injured.

"Fight me in Outworld, Thunder God ... If you dare!" Shao Kahn called through the portal. To their credit, neither Siro nor Taja showed any outward expressions of fear.

"It's a trap, Raiden," Siro stated the obvious. "They took Kung Lao through the portal." He and Taja pocketed their former captors' weapons.

"I know, but I must buy some time," said Raiden. "He is in Shao Kahn's dungeons." With a wave of his hand, he created a much smaller portal just outside the center of the town, away from the larger portal. "My portal will take you close to Kung Lao's cell. It will remain open for two hours; Outworlders cannot travel through it. You must save him. Good luck."

The duo nodded and went towards Raiden's portal. Waiting until they had gone through it, Raiden approached Kahn's portal.

"Shao Kahn! The Elder Gods will not tolerate your treachery!"

"Oh, so _you_ speak for them now, Raiden? Let them try to stop me ... if they can!"

The only reason Raiden would face him now was to distract him from Kung Lao's escape attempt. He did not intend to stick around for his defeat in Outworld. Preparing himself for the imminent clash, Raiden summoned a bolt of lightning from Earthrealm's sky.

* * *

Thunder and lightning marked Raiden's arrival in Shao Kahn's throne room. The emperor himself stood in front of the Earthrealm portal, armed with a sword instead of his usual war hammer. Perhaps the odds were slightly more in Raiden's favour.

"Many traitors and enemies will fall tonight. You will join them, Raiden!"

Raiden ducked to avoid an incoming energy spear and teleported to Shao Kahn's left side. Before Raiden could land any hits, however, Shao Kahn delivered an uppercut that sent Raiden's mortal form crashing into the wall beside Kahn's throne. Raiden hoisted himself to his feet; he had forgotten how painful Shao Kahn's blows could be.

"You are powerless outside your precious Earthrealm. You will die like a pathetic mortal," Shao Kahn boasted as Raiden struggled to his feet.

Raiden had recovered just in time to see Shao Kahn swing his sword. As if to remind Kahn that he wasn't dealing with just another mortal, Raiden caught it with his palms and sent surges of powerful electricity through it. Shao Kahn held on for many minutes, despite the pain it was surely causing him. Unexpectedly, the sword broke into two pieces. Raiden threw the pieces away and launched himself and Shao Kahn above the floor before the latter could retaliate.

As Shao Kahn recovered from the torpedo, Raiden sensed the one thing he was waiting for: Kung Lao had escaped from Outworld. Raiden summoned a bolt of lightning to return to Earthrealm, leaving the bewildered and enraged Shao Kahn to his own devices.

* * *

Raiden returned to the portal in Shakanna after he'd transported an injured Kung Lao to the Shaolin temple. Thankfully, Siro and Taja were fine because Kung Lao was not guarded by Shadow Priests. This was certainly a costly oversight on Reiko's part.

Storm clouds gathered overhead, blocking out the late afternoon sun. Electricity built up in the air. Many bolts of lightning crashed into the earth in and around the portal statue. The clouds dispersed as swiftly as they had formed.

As the dust and dirt was beginning to settle down, the winds picked up again, concentrating to a spot behind Raiden.

"Why have you left your post, Fujin?" Raiden did not turn to face the Wind God.

"I sensed something was amiss," the reclusive Wind God remarked. "What exactly happened?"

"Shao Kahn came close to conquering our realm today. I should've seen it coming," Raiden remarked, now facing the other god. They had known each other for millennia; Raiden would not say anything more for the moment and Fujin would know not to press him.

"You were distracted." At Raiden's silence, Fujin's lips twisted into a brief smile. "Was it a blonde or a redhead?"

"This is_ not the time _for jest_,_ Fujin." A thunderclap was heard in the sky.

Fujin broke the awkward silence after a while, his expression stoic.

"Undoubtedly, the Elder Gods will have taken note of this." Fujin's voice had a slightly ominous undertone. His faint eyes met Raiden's. "If the Elder Gods question your ability to protect Earthrealm – I would not put it past them –" he added, seeing Raiden's surprise, "- I will defend you."

Raiden thought the younger god was being a little too rebellious, but he appreciated the sentiment nonetheless. "Thank you, brother."

The two gods disappeared from the deserted town. Fujin returned to guard Shinnok's amulet, while Raiden returned to his Sky Temple.

When the winds had died down and the dust had settled in Shakanna, only the charred pieces of a skull-like statue remained in a crater where Shao Kahn's portal once existed. Earthrealm had been saved by the skin of its teeth, but its enemies would remain at bay only for so long.

**To be continued.**

**A/N: **This story is a retcon fic; an attempt to bring _MK_ _Conquest_ close to the current MK canon (MK 2011). Unfortunately, one episode (Episode 12, _Shadow of a Doubt_) will have to be disregarded entirely because of MK 9.

I'd like to thank my beta reader **sickoftakenpennames **for putting up with my incessant rambling and plotting. Well, mostly rambling. XD

The _Mortal Kombat: Conquest _portion of this fic is over; I have plans for two more chapters. Criticism, constructive or otherwise, is welcome.


	2. Many Machinations

**Disclaimer:** _Mortal Kombat _ belongs to Midway, NRS and WB. _Mortal Kombat: Conquest_ belongs to Threshold Entertainment.

**Chapter 2**

**Many Machinations**

Failure was something Shao Kahn despised, but experienced far more regularly than he would have liked. His plans to dispose of his foes had succeeded ... All but one, that is. Vorpax and the Raptor leader were dead, and their armies were on the brink of defeat. The beautiful Omegis chose death instead of servitude to Shao Kahn. The necromancer Quan Chi was powerless, imprisoned in the Cobalt Mines with no means of escape. Shao Kahn's stepdaughter was being taken care of by Shadow Priests who were trying to make her more loyal, with limited success.

Raiden's successful diversion had saved his own skin, as well as the life of Earthrealm's champion. The only saving grace of that particular battle was that Shao Kahn had not been truly defeated.

A Shadow Priest had arrived from a group that Reiko had sent to the erstwhile realm of Edenia. He shuddered visibly when he surmised the fate of a guard who had been summoned previously. _A novice. At least some magic users fear my wrath._

"Report," Shao Kahn barked to the young Priest, who knelt upon the floor of his blood-stained throne room.

"My Emperor." The Priest's head was bowed in supplication. "We ... we could not resurrect Queen Sindel. Her protections were too –"

"I do not wish to hear excuses." Shao Kahn now walked towards the novice, towering over the latter. Earthrealm would not be his anytime soon, and most of the Shadow Priests were too valuable to be executed. The same reason kept Reiko and Rain alive for all these years.

This messenger, however, would not be so fortunate. The Priest uselessly tried to block Shao Kahn's hammer as it crashed upon his head and ended his life.

The guards stationed outside his throne room arrived to dispose of the body. In a case of perfect timing, another pair of guards arrived, escorting a far older and more competent sorcerer. The older sorcerer saw the Priest's mangled body and seemed to be resigned to his fate as he knelt near Shao Kahn. Dismissing all guards from his throne room, he addressed the sorcerer.

"Rise, Shang Tsung."

To Shao Kahn's immense satisfaction, the vain sorcerer looked older than ever. Despite his treacherous ways, he was still alive and able to walk only because competent sorcerers were hard to come by. Normally, Shang Tsung would have tried to be sycophantic, but today, even he feared Shao Kahn's wrath.

"You will not participate in the next Mortal Kombat tournament," Shao Kahn began without preamble. "You will choose a capable warrior to fight in your stead. If your warrior wins, I will consider restoring your kombat strength."

"That is a magnanimous offer." Shang Tsung's voice was raspy and true to his age.

"Save your sycophancy for later, Shang Tsung. I have not forgotten your _brazen antics_ at the last tournament. I did not summon you here to discuss your talents in the martial arts."

Seeing Shang Tsung fighting in the guise of the emperor would have been entertaining had he won, but thanks to his loss, he had made Shao Kahn look weak. _I will not tolerate such humiliation_, Kahn fumed inwardly_._

"Princess Kitana is an excellent fighter," Shao Kahn continued, "but she is neither loyal enough nor ferocious enough to be a true heir. A clone of hers, combined with Tarkatan blood, would be perfect."

Shang Tsung was silent for a few moments. "With all due respect, Emperor," he began, "it is impossible."

"Nothing is impossible with sorcery," said Shao Kahn. "I believe you would welcome the intellectual challenge. You will have the most capable Shadow Priests at your disposal."

Recognising the dismissal, Shang Tsung bowed and left for his quarters.

* * *

Lightning and thunder were constant presences around the Sky Temple, a natural extension of the deity who sat cross-legged in mid-air. He appeared to be in deep meditation in the middle of the Temple's open-air arena, his silver hair and long cape billowing in the ever-present wind.

Raiden's current state of mind, however, was anything but serene. It had been a week since his fight with Shao Kahn in Outworld, which would not have taken place if Raiden had not slackened in his vigilance at a most disastrous time. Earthrealm may not have fallen, but Shao Kahn had been successful in eliminating or subduing most of his enemies.

Raiden ceased his attempt at meditation, and stood upon the yin-yang symbol which was engraved into the courtyard. He had expected to be summoned by the Elder Gods immediately after he had resolved the situation in Earthrealm, but they had not done so yet. Of course, it was only a matter of time.

As if they knew his thoughts, Raiden felt the mental summons of his superiors. Were his days as Earthrealm's protector numbered? Nonetheless, he exited his home in a flash of lightning.

He materialised in the Heavens, in a simple open-air shrine of the Elder Gods. Six transparent avatars of the Gods surrounded Raiden, their expressions stoic and unreadable.

"Armageddon can come in many ways: through the merger of all realms or through the mere existence of too many Chosen mortals. Should Armageddon occur, the realms and all beings within will cease to exist with the return of the One Being. Only the Gods remain outside the One Being's relentless manipulation."

Every god knew this from the beginning of their existence, so surely the Elder Gods had not summoned Raiden to tell him the old story. The Edenian God, Argus, had been tasked to avert Armageddon; however, Raiden was not privy to the details of Argus's plan.

"We fear Argus's plan to prevent Armageddon may fail due to Edenia's current state," the Elder Gods spoke in unison, their proclamation doing nothing to improve Raiden's disquiet. "Should his plan fail, _you_ must avert Armageddon. You must save all reality."

Before Raiden could even respond to their order, the avatars of the Gods had faded away. Instead of reprimanding him for his most recent failure, they had placed an infinitely greater burden upon him, one which he could not possibly refuse. But how would he stop Armageddon? He may have been a god, but he was certainly not omnipotent.

Just as Raiden had decided to leave the shrine, a thick beam of golden light hit the temple floor less than a foot away from him. He saw a small object suspended within the light, which became clearer as the light faded away.

An amulet was floating in mid-air. Raiden took it in his hand for a closer look, instinctively knowing that it was sent by the Elder Gods.

_In one moment, the serenity of the realms was shattered, their borders fading away into nothingness. A pair of gigantic, blazing red eyes began to shimmer into existence in a gaping void. The eyes of the One Being gazed into Raiden's very soul, seeking the entirety of his godly essence. _

_Just as the One Being's reawakening had begun, a hypnotising chant was heard in the air; one last effort of the Elder Gods to restore the realms. The spell burned itself into Raiden's memory, and as it ended, the merger of the realms was undone. The One Being's eyes vanished from existence, forced into its eternal slumber once more._

As the vision ended and the Heavens came into Raiden's view again, the Thunder God became aware of being on his knees, the talisman clutched tightly in his right hand. Rising to his feet, he proceeded to examine what was now his amulet more closely.

The circular talisman did not weigh much and fit comfortably in the palm of his hand. Its most prominent feature was the sigil of the Elder Gods engraved into a large, flat sapphire gem. Raiden knew, as if by intuition, that he could use it only when Armageddon was imminent and not otherwise. For the amulet's very existence was contrary to the Elder Gods' decree of not changing the flow of time.

* * *

_A month. That is how long I have been rotting in these Mines._

Quan Chi was not a man prone to impatience, but being imprisoned for long was bound to infuriate even an immortal such as himself. It was not the heat of the surrounding cave that bothered him – the Netherrealm was his home, after all, and he was accustomed to being bare-chested there, as he was now – it was the accursed cobalt, which left him powerless magically. His rival Shang Tsung certainly had a king's life during his stay here; his sorcery had been intact, and he had his own woman to boot. But now, they were both prisoners, with only Quan Chi being literally incarcerated.

Yet, the former Oni did not lead a common prisoner's life in the Cobalt Mines. He had managed to kill one of the Shadow Priests who had ambushed him to transport him here, and the word had spread fast. The populace here was rightly wary of sorcerers, save a foolhardy weakling or two who had sought to challenge him. They had paid for their stupidity with their lives.

Shao Kahn's spies were not as ubiquitous in this place as they were before, which had made Quan Chi's latest possession easy to acquire. A short knife would have been laughable if he was in the Netherrealm, but here, the smallest of advantages was important. He observed the runes on its handle, trying but failing to decipher them. He deemed them insignificant.

_I will be free from this place soon, with or without magic. _

No sooner had he strengthened his resolve than he felt a characteristic heaviness in the air around him. _Sorcery? Here?_

He turned towards the focal point of the power, dagger in hand, just as the familiar form of his master came into view.

"Lord Shinnok." Quan Chi fell to one knee, in deference to the avatar of the fallen Elder God. _Many millennia ago, I was his rescuer, now I am the one being freed. How ironic. _

"Rise, Quan Chi." Shinnok's voice was distant. His disembodied head, larger than life, was obscured by a glowing purple haze, which was constantly shifting, distorting the appearance of the avatar itself. It was the first time since his fall from grace that Shinnok was able to have any effect outside the Netherrealm.

"Lord Shinnok, I presume your appearance here is unknown to the Elder Gods?" Quan Chi inquired, as he got to his feet.

"You presume correctly," Shinnok replied. "Time is of the essence; I cannot maintain this avatar for long within these Mines." The image fell silent. A moment later, the former god's avatar seemed to retreat back to the Netherrealm, leaving a portal just behind the space it was hovering in. Quan Chi did not think twice before entering into the portal, eager to leave the forsaken prison and the realm of Outworld behind.

**To be continued.**

**Author's note: **I see the Elder Gods as beings whose most important concern is self-preservation. For them, preserving the realms is just a way of saving their own asses from the One Being.

Thanks a lot, **sickoftakenpennames**, for going through this chapter. The idea of Shinnok's avatar leaving a portal behind is from one of her stories.


	3. The Beginning of the End

**Chapter Three**

**The Beginning of the End**

Much had changed in Tsai Bīng's life in the last fifty years. The passage of time had been relatively kind to his body, thanks to his natural gifts and sheer perseverance, but not to his psyche. While his three children were fully grown with families of their own, Tsai Bīng had outlived his wife. It was the price he had to pay for changing his allegiance decades ago.

In the here and now, Nuo's violent death was a distant memory that he suppressed with due diligence. Shang Tsung's island was no place to relive the past.

The sun had risen an hour ago, signifying the start of the third day of the Mortal Kombat tournament. Spectators from different realms had gathered around a courtyard. Shang Tsung's seat was empty, but his monks had arrived and were seated in four rows in front of his throne. Four of Shang Tsung's royal guardsmen stood at the four corners of the kombat arena, armed with fearsome _naginata_ which were uncharacteristically planted into the ground.

Though Tsai Bīng's home realm was no longer in a position of immediate annexation, it had not fared well in the initial rounds of this tournament. Only two out of five kombatants from his realm remained, including himself. His compatriot stood beside him, his face as unreadable as Tsai's own. But Tsai wore a mask over his kombat outfit and had registered for this deadly tournament using an old alias.

His compatriot's face had not changed in fifty years, even though everything else about him had evolved. Kung Lao might not have been a monk anymore, but he had shaved his head according to Shaolin tradition. He wore a red bandana, traditional Kung Fu pants and _tabi_ boots. The only lethal-looking weapons he seemed to have were a pair of spiked wristbands, but Kung Lao's true weapons were his martial arts and mental fortitude. Tsai knew Lao only as an acquaintance and eventual ally, but both men shared a similar fate of slow ageing and agelessness respectively.

Next to Kung Lao stood Raiden, Earthrealm's immortal Protector. As always, Raiden's godhood prevented him from competing in the tournament. Tsai Bīng had a simple philosophy with respect to the gods: he wanted nothing to do with them personally. What he did care about, however, was the safety of his progeny; and Shao Kahn was an even greater threat than his former employers.

In a sudden burst of flame which served to silence any chatter amongst the sparse audience, the arch-sorcerer Shang Tsung materialised in front of his gilded, ornate throne. He put up slightly uncharacteristic display of grandiosity – or perhaps it was feigned exhaustion, because for all his sorcery and finery, he looked like a frail old man – as he sat upon his throne before beginning his speech.

"Kombatants! Welcome to the third day of this generation's Mortal Kombat tournament." Shang Tsung might have borne the countenance of a weak old man, but his voice still retained its strength and malice. "Much blood has been spilled so far, and only two Earthrealmers remain to fight for their destiny! One of them shall step on the battlefield today. Will he prevail ... or will he die? We will see it soon enough.

"The next match is Qali ..." A dark-skinned woman wearing a rather immodest maroon outfit whose hood was lowered stepped into the arena, wielding a metallic _bō_ staff.

"... versus Sub-Zero!"

* * *

The ancient sorcerer watched impassively as the Edenian renegade and the ageing Cryomancer took their positions. The tournament had provided Shang Tsung with a fresh supply of souls, and this match would be no exception. Even if the former Lin Kuei warrior won – which Shang Tsung thought to be an unlikely possibility - the assassin would not be magnanimous enough to spare Qali's life.

No sooner than Shang Tsung spoke the word, "Fight!" did Qali spring into action, performing a pole vault in an attempt to kick Sub-Zero in the face, while dodging the ice ball he had thrown. Sub-Zero grabbed her leg with both hands and tried to freeze her, even as the loss of momentum caused her to drop her staff and fall to the floor, her leg still in Sub-Zero's icy grip.

Visibly shuddering from the cold and wincing as her back struck her own _b__ō_, Qali recovered quickly, kicking Sub-Zero in the face. A split second later, she recovered her _b__ō_ and swept Sub-Zero's legs out from under him, causing him to fall to the ground. He almost fell on top of her, but she rolled away just in time.

Age had dulled the Cryomancer's recovery time, while Qali's almost frozen leg had affected her too. Still, she pulled herself up before Sub-Zero could, and just as the latter was getting to his feet, the Edenian raised her staff up, preparing to deliver the crippling blow.

However, Sub-Zero was not quite out of tricks yet. Creating an icy dagger out of thin air, he kept the staff at bay with one hand while reaching out to freeze it with the other.

Qali escaped the frigid trap a second time, but was forced to drop her _b__ō_ in the process. It was her turn to fall to the ground as the kneeling Sub-Zero used her weapon against her, mimicking her earlier sweeping action.

Without getting up, Sub-Zero threw a successful punch at the supine Qali, and prepared to end the match by freezing her. However, she grabbed his bare wrists, disregarding their unnatural coldness to ensure her own victory.

What followed next greatly amused the soul snatcher, for the sacred tournament of Mortal Kombat had turned into a grappling contest. One moment, the Edenian was trapped below the Cryomancer, attempting her hardest to throw him off her, but in the next moment, she was above him, trying to dominate him by breaking his offense. She kept his wrists at bay using her left forearm and tried to choke him with her spare hand.

But Sub-Zero would not yield so swiftly. Using the last of his strength, he pushed the Edenian traitor high into the air, and for one fleeting moment, Shang Tsung thought that Sub-Zero would win because Qali flew from the battle arena; the excitement compelling the sorcerer to stand. Her landing, however, was more spectacular than he had expected.

Qali had landed straight on the _naginata_ of the royal guard closest to Shang Tsung, her still-beating heart jutting out of her blood-soaked body. The applause of the monks and the cheers of the few spectators were but dim noises to Shang Tsung, as the powerless green soul of Qali leapt into his outstretched arms.

As quickly as it had come, the rush of power subsided. In the meantime, the thoroughly exhausted ninja had removed his mask and risen to his feet, and was making his way towards the Champion and the Thunder God, breathing hard from the physical exertion.

"Sub-Zero wins!" Shang Tsung exclaimed. "Fatality!"

The Edenian's defeat did not matter in the long run. He would have other opportunities to seize this Cryomancer's soul, and if this one were to evade him, there would surely be others in the centuries to come.

Earthrealm might have won this battle, but they would most certainly lose the war. And the soul he desired the most – the soul of the _Great_ Kung Lao – would finally be his.

* * *

As his own match was ending, it was crystal clear to Kung Lao that he would not be leaving Shang Tsung's island alive. Tsai Bīng - Sub-Zero - would be the one mortal Earthrealmer walking away from this place, bearing grim tidings to Kung Lao's progeny and the widowed Taja. A violent death was an ever-present certainty in the long life of any Mortal Kombat champion; a fact that took him many years to acknowledge.

The cowardly old sorcerer looked on from above as the Shokan monstrosity known as Goro strutted confidently towards the broken, utterly defeated form of Kung Lao, who was in excruciating pain.

Even as he was struggling to get to his feet, slipping in his own blood, he knew he would not yield, he _could _not yield; he was far too proud to do so. Shang Tsung would not have his soul while he still drew breath.

A part of him was glad that Siro was no longer among the living. He was better off dead than drowning his sorrows in rice wine.

Somewhere in the distance, a hated voice called out, "Finish him!" even as the Outworlders' calls for blood grew more fervent.

* * *

The utterly defeated former Champion did not – _could _not - offer any resistance as the Shokan Prince held him aloft with his lower set of arms. However, in one last act of pointless defiance, he did not scream in pain or terror. It did not matter – no non-living soul could resist Shang Tsung's pull, and a stubborn ex-monk would be no exception.

Goro gripped Kung Lao's head in his upper palms and squashed it almost effortlessly. Throwing the decapitated body to the ground, the Shokan roared in delight, raising all four arms in an exclamation of victory, displaying his bloodied fists for the whole world to see. Shang Tsung paid no heed to the celebration as he summoned and absorbed the soul of his old adversary.

It was unfortunate that no matter how many souls he absorbed, the curse of his old age would not lift – unless Shao Kahn wanted it to. For all his services to the overlord of Outworld, Shang Tsung would not get this little obstacle out of the way until five centuries later.

* * *

Five hundred years had passed since The Great Kung Lao had died at the hands of Goro. Eight more Mortal Kombat tournaments had come and gone, and many good Earthrealmers had perished in their course. None of the Earthrealm's Chosen who participated in the subsequent contests ever reached Kung Lao's legendary status. But the new Champion of the White Lotus – Liu Kang – held great power within him, and a lot of promise.

It was the night of the tenth – and if Outworld's forces had their way, the final – Mortal Kombat tournament since Kung Lao's death. The full moon adorned a clear, sparkling night sky above Shang Tsung's open air courtyard. Many Earthrealm, Outworld and Netherrealm warriors had gathered around the arena, facing the vacant stands and Shang Tsung's empty throne. Raiden felt a sense of destiny around each kombatant gathered in the arena. One of the perks – or pitfalls, depending on who you asked - of being a god was that almost no one – mortal or immortal – was truly a stranger. While Raiden was not omniscient by any means, only powerful beings could hide their identity from him.

The monk Liu Kang and the shaman Nightwolf stood on either side of Raiden. They were the sole Earthrealm-allied Champions who were aware of the gravity of the situation, and were thus outwardly impassive.

Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade stood to Raiden's far left. While the man once known as John Carlton had a good heart, it was eclipsed by his ego. He had come here seeking adventure and fame, but as the fates would have it, the actor's martial prowess would be useful in a way beyond his own petty goals. Sonya Blade, on the other hand, was an unwilling participant. To her, this tournament was a farce – a path to Earthly justice for the bandit Kano, and a means to save her superior in the US Special Forces, Jackson Briggs.

Quan Chi's participation, however, was unprecedented to Raiden, and rather ominous. The Thunder God was rather suspicious about the false Amulet on the pale sorcerer belt's that the latter displayed without hesitation. Raiden inwardly cursed the limitations of his godhood, and not for the first time; he could do absolutely nothing to confront, or even question Quan Chi in the duration of this tournament.

While Raiden was certainly not the only person in this gathering who suspected Quan Chi, it seemed that only Shao Kahn had taken overt measures in that regard. Kahn's personal assassin, the red-haired Skarlet, was standing to Liu Kang's left, distant enough not to be an immediate threat to the monk.

Quan Chi had brought the newly-resurrected Scorpion along with him, but the vengeful wraith once known as Hanzo Hasashi had his own reason to be here: to kill Sub-Zero in the one event where he could do so without repercussions.

Sub-Zero, Cyrax and Sektor were also participating in this tournament, and in the traitorous fashion of the Lin Kuei, these Earthrealm-based fighters were on Shang Tsung's side. If Raiden were a wrathful god - like many Earthly legends painted him to be – he would have annihilated the Lin Kuei centuries ago for their ways of constant betrayal that endangered the Free Realms. His respect for the rules of the Elder Gods, however, prevented him from giving more than a momentary thought to such wanton interference in mortal affairs.

But good souls dwelled even in the darkest of places. Sub-Zero, Cyrax, Tundra and Smoke were some of the good men in a corrupt and depraved secret society. Having dealt with Bi-Han personally, however, Raiden was most disappointed by his current allegiance. After being so thoroughly manipulated by Quan Chi not too long ago, why would he trust another sorcerer so easily? A mortal's confrontation of righteous gods carried consequences beyond the physical body. Even if Bi-Han had redeemed himself by retrieving Shinnok's Amulet from its former bearer, his soul was still tainted enough to be destined to the Netherrealm.

Perhaps Bi-Han wished to protect Kuai Liang from the cruel experiments of the Lin Kuei? Raiden had no direct way of knowing a mortal's innermost thoughts, unless the mortal in question consented to it. It was a consequence of free will, which was something even the Elder Gods respected.

Before he could further dwell on Bi-Han's motivations, everything in Shang Tsung's courtyard vanished abruptly. He could no longer see, hear or smell his surroundings. Flashes of images and noises – of triumph, despair, treachery and destruction – assaulted him constantly before he recognised them as visions of the future. He had a sense of uncharacteristic panic, for his visions had never been so nonsensical or numerous in his aeons of existence.

When his awareness returned, he was clutching his forehead. Apparently, Liu Kang was the only one who noticed Raiden's disorientation, for he asked, "Lord Raiden! What is wrong?"

"Strange visions ..." he replied automatically. He suspected that he had viewed the events of a catastrophic possible future.

To add to Raiden's dismay, he heard a distinct crackling sound that was most certainly not lightning. Reflexively, he checked his amulet. The sapphire jewel within it had begun to crack.

_Armageddon is imminent_, were the only thoughts that ran through his head_._

Liu Kang had noticed it too. "Your amulet ..."

"It is nothing, Liu Kang." Raiden did not wish to trouble the young monk with a god's burden. It was up to him to succeed when Argus and Delia had apparently failed. At any rate, Raiden's attention was needed in the present, for the monks were taking their places, and Shang Tsung himself was walking towards his throne. "The tournament begins."

_To be concluded._

**Disclaimer: **All recognisable dialogues are from_ Mortal Kombat 9_. They're not mine in any way, shape or form.

**Author's notes**: I'm sorry for the insane amount of delay, but writer's blocks don't go away so easily for me. It's a relief to mark this story as "complete" in FFN's menu. I realise that it's an abrupt ending, but I'm not quite willing to do a novelisation of MK9.

I'd like to thank **Poe's Daughter** for proof-reading most of this chapter and helping me out with the fight scene. Her writing has positively influenced my own, and I wouldn't have found the drive to be done with this if she hadn't inspired me to. I'd also like to thank **sickoftakenpennames** for proof-reading the first two chapters, and for suggesting part of MKC-era Sub-Zero's real name.

Thanks for reading this story!


End file.
